How to Enjoy the Santa Story Without Lying to your Child

By presenting the “Santa Story” as fiction, you can still celebrate the fun traditions of the Christmas season while avoiding the downsides of deceiving your child. *This post was updated on 12/11/18 to include an FAQ section and some quotes from other parents. Every December, a few articles circulate with titles like, “How to Tell Your Kids the Truth About Santa Without Breaking Their Hearts.” They encourage parents to tell children they get to “become Santa” and thus “the Santa construct is not a lie that gets discovered, but an unfolding series of good deeds and Christmas spirit” (quote attributed to an anonymous Facebook post, which has been widely shared).…